The Marionette
by XLuridXIllusionsX
Summary: Marionette Mathis is welcomed into the Wayne family with open arms. Gotham accepts her as it's princess and the D.A. calls her the perfect helping hand. With hauntingly blue eyes and the sweetest smile, she wears a mask that no one can see through and Bruce Wayne has no idea what he has let into his house. Jonathan Crane X OC
1. Two can keep a secret

_**Title- **__The Marionette_

_**Rating- **__M. (Strong Language, Intense Gore, disturbing imagery, Sexual content, suggestive themes, Jason Todd's mouth)_

_**Summary- **__Secrets can be hard to keep from those you live with, especially when you're hiding something as serious as a double life. Marionette Mathis is the princess of Gotham, adopted daughter of Bruce Wayne after Batman saved her life and a deadly assassin ready to move at her true father's call in a brutal, bloody battle for Gotham's soul. _

_**Disclamer- **__I do not own Batman. There are two songs mentioned in this chapter, "Better Dig two" by the Band Perry and "Hero" By Enrique Iglesias. I own neither. _

_**Authors Note- **__This story will be told in Nolan's world however I am using far to many comic book characters throughout the plot to place it in the movie category. Marionette is an OC that I am extremely proud of and despite the fact that after some exploring I found that her name had been used before I was not discouraged because she is very different from other OC's I have seen thrown into the Batman universe. __**Please R Your thoughts and comments are so appreciated. If you have any questions or ideas feel free to inbox me and talk it over, alright lovelies go on and read up. **_Anything in _italics _is a flashback.

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_**Chapter One- **__Two can keep a secret..._

A set of dainty ivory toes curled, their owners leg hung lazily off the side of her bed as she groaned over the sound of blaring country music. 'Here lies the girl whose only crutch was lovin' one man just a little too much...' A pair of perfectly sculpted lips hardened into a thin line as her ice blue eyes squeezed shut. "Miss Mathis, I am afraid it is time to wake up now." Alfred's rather smooth aged accent passed through the door after two firm knocks of a gloved fist on sleek mahogany.

One vibrant blue eye popped open as the teenager in question fisted the white stain that was drapped over her body, pooling over full thighs, dipping over her calf as she rolled over, a small groan was emitted from her lips and she sat up. Mahogany curls frizzled up and fanned out around a heart shaped face. Another two knocks tried to over power the sound of the music 'I took your name when I took those vows...I meant it back then and I mean it right now...' "Miss Mathis, you are going to be late if you are not up and about in two minuets tops. Master Wayne expects you bright eyed and bushy tailed for breakfast at six-twenty."

"Six-twenty?" the girl questioned as her eyes flicked to the luminous radio clock. Blue eyes narrowed to read the small green box positioned in the middle of the slightly shaking black box. A mass of curly hair fell with the tilt of her head as her vision began to clear up and the blocky numbers came into a fuzzy focus. Six-eighteen. "Shit" hissed the seventeen year old as she threw her long legs over the side of her bed, white satin cascaded to the floor as the teen yelled "No problem, Alfred, I'll be right down! Tell Bruce that I'll be right down!" there was a slight rasp as her voice caught in her throat on that very last word.

"Yes Miss Mathis." Alfred stated in his usual tone followed by the sound of his leather shoes against cherry wood. The sound of his foot steps grew farther and farther away as Marionette's hand slammed down on the power button 'Gonna tell the grave...-' ultimately putting an end to the song that she'd woken up too. "Son of a bitch" cursed the blue eyed beauty as she crossed the room to her dresser. Small hateful grumbles were muttered under her breath as she skimmed her top drawer for a clean pair of panties. "What is today anyway?" she settled on a pair of blue lace panties and shut that drawer opening the second. "It'saaaa- sunday...no school...so why...Shit...Rachel" her fingers peeled away her yellow shorts, grey spanks and black tank top allowing a pair of full ivory breasts to spill into the open.

Alert eyes moved to the full body mirror that hung on her walk in closet's vast mahogany door. "Damn" she muttered as the bruises came into a full unblurred focus. "We gotta take it easier tonight girl." she quietly admonished her reflection as purple swelled over her right thigh and a rather large black bruise engulfed her exposed shoulder.

A small huff passed through her lips as she lapsed a bra that matched her blue panties with a snap of her nimble fingers. The outfit she'd come to a fast decision on for the day was rather simple, professional and made her look like a gothic doll. The skirt was respectable, knee-length after all, Marionette had a few bruises to cover. With that black skirt she wore a white blouse with linen cufflinks that showed at the end of the sleeves of her black form fitted blazer. Her fingers fastened the blazer's silver buttons and adjusted the broach that held her white linen scarf in place.

As she quickly applied her black eye shadow, eye liner and masscara with the precision of a diamond cutter in front of her vanity, her free hand rested on a black spotted handkerchief that she would use to prevent smearing, not that it occurred all that often with her steady hand holding the brush. "Miss Mathis" this time the voice belonged to someone else. Processing the words for a moment as she mashed her lips together to even out her lip gloss she came to the realization that it was Bruce. "Are you decent?"

Clearing her throat she parted her lips to speak "Of course, please do not hesitate to come right in, Bruce." her voice came out smooth as she looked herself over a final time and turned around on the heel of a black leather shoe, decorated with the same broach and white linen as her scarf. She had already worked her mahogany curls back into a tight bun, only a few stray curls hung around her ivory face. It was simply all that could be done in less then four hours. The girl's hair was always rather hard to tame and so she would often have to trap it.

"Good morning." he started out with a conspicuous smile.

"Good morning to you as well" Marionette spoke with the voice of an angel as her longer then average lashes fluttered. Bruce Wayne was dressed in one of his usual grey suites. His dark hair was groomed neatly and there was a slight twinkle in the corner of his brilliant eyes that always seemed to be a different color depending on his mood, the lighting and what he was wearing.

"I didn't come up here to get on your case or anything, I just uh wanted to let you know that some business came up and I can't join you for breakfast this morning. Rachel however, will be here in all of ten minuets and you look nice and ready to help her out today." a small hint of a smile never left his thin lips as he spoke.

"Alright, thank you and I understand a hundred percent about breakfast, Bruce. Sometimes things happen." her dainty fingers captured his calloused ones and a small smile spread out on luscious lips "Another time."

His forefinger grazed her cheek bone and he clicked his tongue with a swanky smirk "That's my girl, tomorrow, I pro-"

"Bruce, you don't have to do that with me." Marionette stated simply as her hands folded behind her back, the feel of linen on her skin was slightly natural but irritating just the same. "I'm not you know...one of your Russian ballerinas...not a date at all really, closer to a friend of the family. So...there's no need for that." she stated politely.

Bruce stared at the girl in shock for a moment "Marionette, I didn't mean to do that." his voice was smooth.

"It's really quite alright, Bruce. It becomes a habit after awhile, I understand entirely." hauntingly blue eyes stared at him through a curtain of long lashes. Bruce only nodded as if to say it wouldn't happen again.

"I will try to...differentiate when it comes to my adopted daughter." and with that his back was turned and he disappeared out the door. A small shiver ran down her spine and the corners of her lips turned down with distaste when he called her his adopted daughter. Legally, She was Marionette Wayne. Bruce had 'adopted' her when she was rather young and dropped at his door step by Gotham's so called Dark Knight. Mathis, being her real last name was the name that she asked the staff and Bruce himself to call her by because it was just that, hers.

As for a biological father, Marionette had no clue her parents were killed during the very last break out of Black Gate prison. That didn't really matter to her by much, her mother was a prostitute and her father a drinker. When her suburb was raided by that group of criminals...there were very few survivors...it was...one criminal...the doll maker...

_Flames reached for a black night sky that was dotted with withering snow flakes as buildings crumbled and trees turned into the earth. People ran and screamed, praying to god for their lives as if the end was coming. Maybe it was and she was just to young to understand it or maybe the shock of staring at her mother's dead body sprawled across the living room floor had the seven year old out of it. Her blond hair stained red as her blood swamped around her in a deep pool._  
_ Hot crimson stained the toes of the young Marionette's white stockings and slowly, on her delicate heel she turned and walked out into the disaster. Through innocent ice blue eyes the little girl saw hell, death, women clinging to their children and it was through those same innocent eyes that Marionette saw him. Calm, composed, eccentric with a mass of red hair, a cloak draped around his shoulders and his thin lips made into a frown. Marionette tipped her head to the side, odd, he wasn't running or screaming the way everyone around her was. Out of no where her seven year old form was thrown hard against the pavement, it hurt, her body ached and she bit her lower lip to keep from screaming._  
_ Whoever knocked the small blue eyed girl over cried out before trampling her left leg on their way to hide in the nearest alleyway. A silent tear slid down her cheek as her ankle snapped under his boot. Falling apart, everything was falling apart, To Marionette it looked like the world would end but that was the opinion of an small seven year old. Never had she ever heard such dreadful cries or seen so many vulgar, gruesome images. To her right a man had a knife held to another's throat and when he lunged, the blood sprayed in a dangerous abundance against the alley wall. To her left a man in a trench coat was forcing himself onto a young girl who looked about 15. The teen cried out, red puffy eyes widened as the older man's throbbing cock was thrust into her from behind, one forceful hand held her down and oh the blood that visibly coated his shaft with every thrust..._  
_ Gotham was burning…falling…as to the reason the child hadn't a clue, Marionette had only heard the window of my front room shattering before a pair of oddly dressed figures killed her mother right before her blue eyes. The child was young but smart and had hidden in a dark closet to keep from suffering the same fate. Everything hurt, her small frail body, her head, even the tips of her delicate shaking fingers seemed to rack with pain. Hauntingly blue eyes drifted to the dark sky, vultures perched on the branch of every tree as ravens' circled above her small body. Snow soaked into her night gown and the bite of the cold paid tribute to her tender skin. A truly gruesome end this world has come to meet. "Are you still alive, child?" his voice was a quiet rasp; his white eyes were ominous as he hovered over her and it was then that Marionette realized he had no irises. _

_"So lovely" he whispered as his finger tips brushed her longer then average lashes "It would be a waste of pure perfection to leave you to die here." and as his strong arms engulfed her small body, Marionette clang to her last hope. Not so much as crying once her body left the cold ground even though the pain in her broken ankle was immense. _

It wasn't until a year and a half after she started her new life with Barton Mathis as her father that Marionette had her first run in with the Dark Knight of Gotham City. Batman had found their hideout and broken in with a forceful hand. Barton had instructed Marionette to hide and being the good little girl she was, she did as she was told. After hauling her family off to Arkham, which had replaced Black gate, the Bat had returned to scene and found the child. Being the smart little girl she was, Marionette clang to him and kept her mouth shut. Of course he thought she was another victim and her being so young, the Batman had taken her to Alfred that night...it was only when she woke the next morning that she met the prince of Gotham and found herself in his care. Bruce was not her father, Barton Mathis was her father and always would be.

After giving him a few moments to exit the manner Marionette made her way through the vast corridors and down the numerous stair wells until she came to the dining room where Alfred stood behind a chair awaiting her occupation.

"Miss Mathis, you look lovely as ever." the old butler stated with a sincere nod as he placed his hand over his heart and bowed.

"Honestly, Alfred, you can drop the formalities and call me Mari when Bruce isn't around." her full lips peeled back to frame two rows of gleaming white teeth "Looks delicious." the girl's blue eyes roamed over the plate positioned on the table right in front of her designated chair. Breakfast this morning was consistent of pancakes, bacon and an omelet which smelled absolutely wonderful.

"Miss Mathis, I call you by your last name because it is respectful. I have known Master Wayne since he was a boy and still I call him just that, Master Wayne and I will continue to call you Miss Mathis."

Marionette took a seat and lifted a silver fork ready to dig into her omelet "I still don't see why." her voice was a bit muffled as she shoved a forkful of the bacon, cheese and mushroom stuffed egg into her mouth.

"Well what if out of the blue, I asked you to call me Mister Pennyworth?" questioned the butler as the young lady swallowed her first bite, an exasperated 'mmm' was elicited from the back of her throat. A reflection of her likeness for the meal.

"That would be pretty weird." She stated flatly as the sound of Rachel's high heels bounced from wall to wall. Marionette lifted her blue eyes to the older woman's form as she made her way down the narrow corridor, a slight sitch in her walk as he face seemed to age with every second.

"Mari, you know I don't ever want to rush you but we have to go." stated the brunette and Marionette stood quickly but cast her omelet a saddend gaze.

"I can always prepare another for you, Miss Mathis." Alfred soothed and Marionette swung around placing a firm kiss on the old man's cheek. The kiss left Alfred with a small pink kiss mark perfectly defined in lip gloss on his right cheek.

"Alright, what is wrong?" Marionette asked as she walked back down the corridor with Rachel at her side.

"We have to stop by Arkham before I take you down to the D.A.'s office. I think one of the doctors there is up to something weird." Rachel's voice was as strained as her face. Normally Rachel was a composed individual, idealist that she was and always the picture of her own kind of beauty.

"Weird as in illegal?" questioned the teen as the girl's made their way out to Rachel's little car. Marionette slipped into the passangers seat and ran her fingers over the polyester that encased the seat.

"As in a possible conspiracy with Carmine Falcone" Rachel's jaw set and I could tell that whoever she was talking about she had been dealing with for a long while and she was completely fed up with it all.

"Alright, Arkham is an exciting place for me to visit anyhow, I just adore that Dr. Leland." Marionette flashed a pretty smile and Rachel simply nodded as the car darted down the road.

"How's Bruce?" asked the brunette as the car came to a slow uneasy halt at a stop sign.

"You could ask him that yourself, you know. He is doing good though, busy, busy, busy as always." The blue eyed teen explained as she crossed one full thigh over the other.

As the car moved forward and Rachel kept her narrowed eyes on the road she answered "Bruce and I aren't close like we used to be and so it's just simpler to ask you. In truth I thought I'd lost him entirely until he took you in, that was when I realized that...he really didn't completely lose himself. Bruce saved you because you were an orphan...he understood...and I don't know...I guess you helped me regain a little faith in him." for the smallest inkling of a second, Rachel Dawes was genuinely smiling. "He really does have a big heart." Marionette added on. The rest of the drive was fairly silent. Neither of them spoke and the only sound was the sound of traffic and also the sweet melodic voice of Enrique Iglesias.

The song pulsated throughout the entire car. _'I can be your hero baby, I can take away the pain, I will stand by you forever, you can take my breath away'_ as they pulled into Arkham's parking lot.

It seemed that the moment they entered the dimly lit asylum a voice greeted Rachel with a terse "Miss Dawes, this is most irregular."

Rachel's eyes narrowed as Marionette moved to stand beside her. The man who had called Rachel out was not all that tall, he stood at 5'9 where Marionette stood at 5'5. He had a rather narrow body structure that was clad in a navy blue suit. A pair of small but full lips parted before Rachel could speak "I have nothing farther to add to my report." his eyes were the bluest of anything Marionette had ever seen, the color even rivaled her own and that was quite rare to come by.

However his focus was on Rachel who seemed to be seething "Listen, Crane." her voice was a polite threat "I have a few questioned about your report, now you have moved three of Carmine Falcone's thugs from their cells and had them declared insane to be sent to this asylum." her tongue was sharp and her posture unmoving as her lips formed her rapid words.

Joan Leland rested her dark skinned hand on Marionette's shoulder and pulled her away from Rachel and Dr. Crane. "Those two will argue until their hearts are content, my dear." she explained with a sweet smile on a pair of full lips.

Marionette simply nodded in response "Joan, I was thinking of maybe interning here this summer, do you think I could go back and look at a few of the patients?" her blue eyes held the other woman's gaze.

Joan had known Mari since she was young and therefore trusted her, not to mention without a key there was nothing she could possibly do to hurt anything. "Go on dear, just stay out of G-block for me, alright?"

The teen nodded with a sweet smile "Thank you, Joan." and turned her body to make her way down the long corridor. The lighting Arkham was what made people crazy, at least that was Marionette's philosophy, the lights were dim and flickered against the already irritatingly white walls. If they would fix the fucking lighting they might actually find it possible to rehabilitate someone.

The patients were kept behind thick steel doors. A small barred window was their only contact to the outside world. Their outside world however was a narrow hallway. "234" she mused as she kept walking and whipped her head from side to side "235...236..." and then she finally turned into C-block and said "546" placing her delicate fingers against the stainless steel she stood on her tip toes and peered in through the bars.

"Daddy" her voice rasped slightly.

"Marionette" Barton responded in his natural smooth growl "Is she dead?" he was referring to the last job he had given her, _Michelle Laksee, a 34 year old prostitute and consort to a pimp that was also the crime lord of a human trafficking industry. _"Did you make her pretty?" asked the red haired mad man.

"Yes, beautiful." Marionette responded. "Her boyfriend roughed me up a little but I'm okay, nothing too serious just a couple bruises. I killed him too."

"Such a good girl" he crooned "You are...the only one I can count on. I have another job for you tonight, Aloisa Hess...she is a prostitute as well...she's uh...got this little boy, little darling really but he can't be more then nine and a little birdy told me that she makes him partake in sexual acts with her clients...I want her dead. Make her pretty for me..."

"Yes, Father." the seventeen year old retorted whole heartedly. "I take it Marcel has the rest of the information I need?" another stray curl slipped from her bun as Marionette looked around to be sure no one was coming.

"Yes, he does. Be sure that they haven't destroyed our home. Visit whenever you get the chance...I'm not sure you see just how lucky we are that, that flying rodent took you to the Wayne Manor...you are at the heart of all information in the city...with that Dawes woman around you have access to the D.A. and so much more...as long as Bruce Wayne is the prince of Gotham you are the princess and so you have to keep playing nice for as long as possible...daddy loves his little girl."

"I love you too." She whispered sweetly understanding every word. As she moved to turn around she felt her heart leap out of her chest. Dr. Crane's blue eyes locked on her face from just a few feet away.

"Miss Dawes is looking for you, I am surprised to find you all the way back in C-block. Did something spark your interest...miss-" he paused as his rather dull demeanor settled.

"Mathis, Marionette Mathis and no." her voice was smooth as she shook his hand in one firm motion. "I was just looking around. You're Doctor Crane right?"

Jonathan simply nodded "Yes, now if you would please come with me, we can both get on with our day." he then paused and looked back at the teen arching a dark brow at her "Mathis, where have I heard that name before?"

As Marionette walked beside him she couldn't help but wonder who pissed in his cheerios' this morning. Did he honestly have to be such a dick? Jonathan then paused and looked back at the teen arching a dark brow in her direction "Mathis, where have I heard that name before?"

It then occurred to the blue eyed girl that he worked at the Asylum and may have recognized her name as her father's...Barton Mathis...quickly she tittered away from the subject with a smooth calm demeanor "I think I saw your picture on one of the walls somewhere in B-block, so you must be a big deal, am I right?"

"How very observant of you. I am good at what I do." a smug smirk tugged at the corner's of his wormy lips. _Oh_ the thought fluttered to the forefront of Marionette's mind _He's one of those guys. _

"Marionette let's go! We've got work to do." Rachel yelled motioning for her to come quickly. Marionette smiled sweetly at this woman she called her friend and made her way toward her, never once giving that prick doctor a second glance. She would go with Rachel to the D.A.'s office and she would greet Gordon with a smile and a hug if he was near the police station. Most of the day would be spent running to get sticky notes to other parts of the firm and the occasional cup of coffee for Rachel's rather touchy feely boss. When Rachel finished up she would take Marionette back to her home and watch her pass out on the those endless hours of watching Rachel file cases and look over evidence that she was never supposed to know anything about while pretending to be asleep would come about.

Marionette knew all of this because this is how it happened every time she helped Rachel out for the day. Except tonight...she would leave as soon as Rachel was asleep and go pay tribute to her real family...and her real job...which would tonight consist of the murder of the prostitute Aloisa Hess.

_**Authors Note- **__I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and I will update soon. Now throughout the history of the comic, there have been three different versions of the Doll Maker and I want to pay tribute to them all and so I have spilt them into three different characters that will keep all of their qualities but co-exist on the same timeline. Marcel, Barton and Anton are not OC characters they are just 3 versions of the same character, all of which are wonderful and deserve some notoriety. Please let me know what you think. Review for me. _


	2. If one of them is dead

_** Authors Note-** Thank you so much for reading. Again, reviews are much appreciated. I really do hope you are all enjoying this story. On with the second chapter. _

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_**Chapter two-** _If one of them is dead...

_"Life and death, will always lead you into love and regret but you have the answers and I have the key to Bernadette"_

_~ IAMX_

A pair of leather shorts slipped up the owner's full ivory thighs to cover a pair of black spanks and compliment the white leather corset that hugged tightly to her torso. Sneaking out of Rachel's little pent house was never too hard for the teenager, Rachel was never suspicious of her and had no reason to be and so she slept like a rock. Sneaking back into Wayne manner would be too risky and so she always kept her 'work clothes' safely tucked away under her old bed in Barton's hideout, her home. "Big sis." crooned the voice of Anton as he rapped at the door, his pungent fingers curled into a fist as he did so.

To answer his call Marionette walked across the room as her thin fingers fixed her hair into a mahogany ballerina style bun. The sound of her heavy white leather combat boots bounced from wall to wall and echoed with the screeching wood that built the family's hideout. "It's open" she stated rather irritated with a curl that simple refused to conform to her wishes.

The little imp looked up at her with his beady little eyes that were so light brown they looked crimson even through his long, feminine blond lashes. "I was instructed to give you this." He reached his short arm out, a rather chubby hand clutched a thin cream colored folder.

Marionette took it with a sweet, sincere smile with a graceful bow of her head in thanks "It wasn't too hard for you to get ahold of was it?" asked the blue eyed girl as she knelt down a bit, falling back on her haunches to sit right at her little brother's eye level.

"Oh no, no, no" he tsked with a wag of his chubby little index finger "it was really quite simple, the young lady was not all that secretive. Such a shame. "his lower lip stuck out in a pretend pout for only a few seconds before he burst into a monstrous cackle, a cackle far too big for someone his size "She really is a rather unattractive woman, Big sister you should do your absolute best to…doll her up." As the eerie statement passed through the younger's lips a firm hand with long boney fingers came to rest on the girl's exposed shoulder.

"Marionette, your shoulder." Marcel whispered causing the girl to rise to her feet. Marcel towered over Marionette, he was almost as old as Barton and had lost all of his hair awhile back but Marionette could only assume his hair was red at one point in time, the same as Barton and Anton's.

"it's nothing, just a little bruise, an occupational hazard." Her full lips framed her white teeth as she offered her older brother a pretty smile.

His cold fingers ghosted over her swollen skin as he grimaced lightly "You really should come home more often, Anton and I get rather lonely without you around.

Before the teen could respond a childish squawk sounded from behind her like a siren "When are you going to break father out of Arkham?" Anton's short arms flailed as the left strap of his overhauls fell over his shoulder.

"The moment he gives me the order to do so. Understand little one that father needs to rest." Marionette's body turned around and her dainty hands cupped her little brother's chubby cheeks. Anton only nodded in response and pushed his sister's hands away to make his way back to his little workshop, leaving with the promise of later impressing father with his latest project. Anton's workshop was really just a small room that was probably at a point in time a walk in closet.

"Are you doing alright in Wayne manner? No one suspects you do they?" Marcel asked as his lanky body leaned against Marionette's old dresser.

Mari's hands found her full hips as she arched a dark eyebrow at him "You have so little faith in me, I'm offended. Of course they don't suspect anything. As far as Bruce is concerned I am his sweet, grateful adopted daughter and have been for the past nine years. I've even got his little lady friend down at the D.A. in the palm of my hand not to mention one of the doctors at Arkham. I'm Gotham's picture perfect little princess…of course they don't suspect a thing. They have no reason to." Her words were said with a sharp tongue and an arrogant smirk.

Marcel's eyes then lit up with a sudden realization as if he'd just remembered something important "There is a doctor at Arkham, I want you to be careful around him. Crane doesn't look like much but he's got a few connections to some dangerous people…the Scarecrow isn't a guy to fuck with, do you understand? All the creational you have worked so hard to earn will go down the drain if you get on his bad side and he declares you insane the way he has been Carmine Falcone's thugs."

"Crane?" Marionette questioned with a quirky smirk as she thought back on her most recent run in with him. It then occurred to her that Rachel had mentioned a conspiracy involving a doctor at Arkham and Falcone. "That shmuck isn't going to get near me…I'm always three steps ahead and I'm the one with the leverage here." She gestured to herself with her thumb in an aggressive manner.

"Do I even want to know?" Questioned the older as he eyed his young sister. Finally managing to get her hair up into her ballerina bun, Marionette clicked her tongue and turned around on her heel before swiping up her porcelain mask.

"Listen I can't talk now, okay?" stated the beauty as her delicate hand pushed the old door open "I've got a doctors appointment tomorrow so this can't be another all nighter. Hemophilia is nothing to laugh at in this line of work." behind her mask she tried to smile, but inside Marionette knew that her illness was no joke.

"Be safe" Marcel said at the same time young Anton rushed his chubby arms around her waist. Pressing his nose into her exposed belly, the child muttered something incoherent but Mari simply hugged him back and made her way out of the hideout.

**_OOO_**

"Well" a sadistic cackle escaped the most beautifully sculpted lips. "Aren't you just the prettiest little tragedy?" malice laced the blissful voice that flowed from an ebony painted mouth. The lines of black emphasized her pert heart-shaped lips, the top lip being thin with a graceful dip and the bottom being full.

Ivory fingers pressed over the woman's emerald eyes, tears wetting the tormenters skin. Tightly wound ropes burned into the woman's wrists as her muscles tensed. The assault had been going on for an hour now. The victim was a nobody, a prostitute named Aloisa Hess. Even if the gag in her mouth wasn't bruising the corners of her thin lips and someone could hear her scream...no one would be coming to her rescue. "Shh" The doll faced beauty holding the carving knife hushed sweetly "I promise, Aloisa, were almost done"

Moonlight shined on the blade as the tip of the carving knife prodded the skin beneath Aloisa's green tear filled eye. A small drop of blood slipped down her cheek like a hot red tear as the woman whimpered into the gag. The crimson drop joined the lines that had been cut on either side of Aloisa's mouth to give the impression of a puppet. "Don't be such a baby now" whispered the killer doll from behind her porcelain mask. A strangled scream escaped the woman's throat only to be muffled by her gag. Marionette's careful hand turned the knife careful not to dig into her victims cheek bone and mess up her masterpiece.

The old floor boards creaked beneath pearl white boots as the doll backed up tipping her head to the side as if to examine her work. Beautiful, simply beautiful. The womans ivory face had been cut cleanly, small dabs of a crisp white handkerchief had served to avoid the smearing of blood. A tear drop had been carved just below her left eye, curved to perfection and the lines cut into her mouth were even and perfectly straight. The look of pure anguish in her emerald green eyes only served to add to the effect, what a pretty picture.

"Nice" whispered Marionette as she moved her fingers to her chin in a thinking manner. One thing was off about the image...oh yes...the gag. The blood stained linen piece was simply unsightly and Marionette strided forward just to rip it from Alosia's mouth. The corners of the auburn haired girls lips were bruised black and blue and she gasped for a breath, sobs poured from the very back of her horse throat. The girl would not dare scream for help. Nor would she dare beg for her life.

An auburn curl slipped over her face and Marionette quickly pinned it back with a flick of her fingers "Curly hair really can be quite difficult to deal with" said the mahogany haired beauty "Trust me" she gestured to her own perfect ballerina bun "If this got wet...I'd be picking through it for hours just to get it to lay down again" her calm voice, blissful and sweet was still laced with the most brutal form of malice that made it it's own sound entirely. Her free hand slipped back into her own hair, fingers clasping around a pearl pin and with one fluid motion she transferred the pin from her hair to Alosia's "Much better" her voice was gentle "Now..."

"Why are you doing this?" whimpered the prostitute. Her voice was a soft rasp. She hadn't the strength to scream out or even cry anymore. Not after the torture Marionette had put her through. If it wasn't enough to strip her naked and carve up her face, Marionette had also personally pierced her back up and down on either side of her spine and run a pretty black ribbon through it, tying it into a rather magnificent bow at the finish. All of her toes had been broken one and a time and then folded underneath the pads of her feet, made to resemble beautiful lotus flowers.

Removing two decorative rods from the little pouch she wore attacked to the sash around her waist Marionette smiled behind her mask and leaned forward, staring down at Alosia's agonized face through eye holes made of durable porcelain. "Shhh" hushed the doll as she pressed the sharp tip of one pin beneath the girls lower lip and pushed it through the upper with one motion "Yes" she said sweetly "That looks nice" the second pin was pushed through swiftly to avoid a lot of bleeding out. The two pins made an X through the girls thin lips. Her skin swelled as if to reject her new gag.

The sound of a quiet whimper made Marionette look over her shoulder. The child was small, meek and had chubby cheeks that gave him the appearance of a Gerber baby. Sparkling emerald eyes that matched his mothers filled with tears as the killer doll walked toward him, her heavy white boots made a thudding sound that resonated throughout the entire shack. It carried in the darkness and bounced off the walls "She doesn't deserve you" Marionette whispered to the boy as she placed her delicate hand on his head. His soft brown hair seemed to kiss her fingers as she kneaded it repeatedly, letting the strands slip over her skin "A mother who would allow you to live in this shack...who would allow you to starve...who would make you commit sexual acts against your whim...as I know she has...does not deserve you..."

The nine year old looked over Marionette's shoulder and bit his lower lip. He had never hated his mother...not even when she made him do things he did not want to do. His doe like green eyes assessed his mothers condition. Her back had been forced into an arched position, thick metal rods had been shoved through both of her nipples, blood stained ivory in a small red stream down her pert breasts below the puncture wound. He looked to her disfigured feet and then her carved up face, the silencing X that shut her lips and then the bow that decorated her back. A puddle of blood had formed beneath her chair. A rope skillfully wound around her wrist that laced around each delicate finger caused her to look even more vulnerable. Crimson trickled down each bent out of shape digit and dripped to that grisly puddle. The child shuddered at the sight and looked away.

Cold porcine pressed against the small boys chubby cheeks like a kiss from a ghost and the killer doll was gone.

As Marionette walked down the fire escape she sighed a long drawn out sigh. The metal clanked rather loudly beneath her heavy white combat boots and she peeled the white linen warmers from her hands, one finger at a time. They to were soaked with that woman's blood and she would need a new pair before her next assignment. Gotham needed a different form of cleaning crew. Of course police would spend their time trying to snuff out maniacs to stick in a cell at Arkham asylum but those maniacs weren't the real problem.

Maniac's aren't always born and it seemed in Gotham City, maniacs were made and of course people went mad! The way these 'normal' people let their children play in the streets while they stay out all night and snort cocaine, it's disgusting! The government allows the people to be uneducated or close to that and then acts surprised when their citizens do not abide by the laws and then punish the problems they created, hilarious!

Maniac's are the supposed core of problems but would people be going mad if the city wasn't so corrupt? No. The source of the problem had to be eliminated and that is what the Doll Maker wanted to do. Teach a lesson and set an example. The goal was to exterminate Gotham's filth...filth such as little miss Alosia and those like her. By allowing her child to suffer, Aloisa was adding to what made Gotham such a scary place...a place where people lose their minds...and now that boy would go to foster care where he would hopefully end up in good hands.

"STOP!" cried a timid voice. Marionette turned around on her heel and found herself looking at the nine year old. His face was red and his emerald eyes were puffy with tears "Why...why?" he sobbed out loud "Why did you do it?" his tender voice screeched into the night.

Marionette exhaled against her mask and walked toward the small boy, kneeling down before him she lifted her mask from her pale face. "Listen kiddo" her voice was calm and her lips moved slowly to form her words "You're better off now. That woman was never going to give you what you need and I can tell your a strong little boy." She placed her hand on his head much like a father would after his sons first ball game. "What's your name now?"

The green eyed boy tipped his head to the side unable to comprehend what she was saying. This woman had just killed his mother and now she was patting his head like the father he never had. "I..its" he sniffled as tears soaked his chubby cheeks "Its Na..ana...Nathan" he said through his tears.

"Alright Nathan, the one good thing that bitch ever did was give you a sturdy name." Marionette said softly and tipped the child's chin up "You deserve better...just because someone has a baby doesn't mean they deserve one...but every baby deserves a mommy and daddy, understand?" she questioned, her brilliant blue eyes searched his emerald ones.

The child simply shook his head and Marionette sighed "You will one day" the sound of sirens caught the doll of guard. She had been almost positive that no one would call the police until the next day but the neighbors must have heard the bitch screaming. "Nice meeting ya kid" Marionette said softly before standing up and running down the long dark alley way. There was almost no chance of them actually catching her. She'd never been caught before and if that child tried to give a description of her face he would probably just say she had blue eyes and dark curly hair. That wasn't enough to narrow her down as a human being.

Still little Nathan could point them in her direction. She would have to find a place to hide for a bit. A small breath escaped her lips as she rounded a corner, the sirens stilled screamed out in the background as brilliant blue eyes looked for the poor sucker who left their window open tonight. Her eyes locked on the cracked window of a second story apartment and she smirked. It was a rather nice building. She wouldn't even have to do much climbing...there was a fire escape leading right up to the window. No work at all.

The metal clanked beneath her boots and she bit her lower lip a bit roughly wishing she'd worn anything but her combat boots tonight. It didn't matter even if someone did hear her it wouldn't be in time to stop her and she would simply kill who ever tried to get in her way...even if the Doll Maker would be a little peeved at her for going outside the lines of her assignment.

Delicate ivory fingers pushed the window open just enough for her to climb inside one leg at a time. Her eyes scanned the bedroom she'd stepped into. It was a fairly small area. A twin sized bed was smashed into a corner by a desk covered in various notebooks and broken pencils.

The carpet was an unsightly red color and she pressed her ear to the window listening to the sirens grow more and more distant. Good. Very slowly she turned away from the window and walked over to the cluttered desk. The writing on every paper was almost unreadable. The very definition of chicken scratch and she lifted up a green spiral notebook, flipping it open she started to skim over small notes containing information about patients at Arkham Asylum. "Whose apartment am I sitting in?" she whispered to no one in particular.

Setting that notebook down she opened up a drawer and grabbed up a rather unorganized cream-colored folder. Opening it up she started to read over a formula for some kind of toxin. The words '_Causing the victims worst fears to surface' _jumped out at her and she smirked. Maybe this was the place to break into.

A rough calloused hand snatched her delicate wrist up, jerking her body around she found herself staring into the most brilliant blue eyes "You're Barton's little girl" Jonathan said rather flatly "You were missing last time I chec-" those eyes narrowed as if he'd come to some kind of realization. "No...you're Wayne's little girl. I knew there was something wrong with you...the moment you walked in with Rachel Dawes."

Marionette scowled at him and tore her wrist away, the folder still in her tightly bound hand, there was no way he was going to ruin all of her fine work. Her eyes then shifted to the folder in her arms. "You're going to keep this our dirty little secret, understand?" questioned him slyly "And if you don't...I will expose you for what you are." that lovely voice of hers turned to a poison as her full lips pealed back of her white teeth. "Not a doctor, not a psychiatrist...not anything but a sad scared little man whose in over his head with the sharks. I know about the conspiracy" she decided to not relay her information about his being Scarecrow. Sometimes information needed to be withheld as an ace in the hole. The seventeen year old was slightly irritated with the fact that he'd called her a little girl when she was damn near an adult.

Her blue eyes watched him swallow hard. "Listen" Jonathan stated flatly, his hand coming to grip hers once again "Go home. Keep your mouth shut and I will do the same, little girl" his full lips parted slowly to form his words. Jonathan knew that he would be expected by his employer to kill the girl however she was a bigger deal then Falcone's men. This girl would be missed. The world was simply to small for another one of the Wayne family members to disappear. "Go home" he repeated and Marionette obliged with a smile.

"Gladly" said the doll as she flipped her body around and thrust her heel into his jaw. Jonathan groaned falling to the red carpeted floor. A low groan escaped his throat as she grabbed the three notebooks left out on his desk and made sure to tuck the folder in her hand securely into one of them. The fire escape was loud beneath her feet and she bit her lower lip and all but jumped the last seven steps. The night air was suddenly freezing and a curl freed itself from her bun. Once she was securely on the ground, her blue-eyed gaze flickered back to the window where a certain Jonathan Crane glared down at her with a look that said 'I'll be seeing you again'


	3. That Smile

Authors Note- Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to read my little fic, for those of you who do not know this already, Marionette is hemophilic. Hemophilia is a serious disease in which one's blood does not clot. Hemophilia lowers blood plasma clotting factor levels of the coagulation factors needed or a normal clotting process. Thus when a blood vessel is injured, a temporary scab does form, but the missing coagulation factors prevent fibrin formation, which is necessary to maintain the blood clot. A hemophiliac does not bleed more intensely than a person without it, but can bleed for a much longer time. In severe hemophiliacs even a minor injury can result in blood loss lasting days or weeks, or even never healing completely. In areas such as the brain or inside joints, this can be fatal or permanently debilitating.

* * *

Chapter three- That Smile...

Bruce moved his long fingers through Marionette's long curly hair as she relaxed in the plush cushioned hospital chair. "It's alright now, Mari." He soothed as her blue eyes fluttered closed. "Don't tense up, it will only make It worse. "

"Is she ready?" asked Doctor Schulyer, the sound of his smooth voice was no comfort. Marionette nodded slowly for if she were to speak she knew her voice would shake. "It's alright now, Mari, you can trust me." Wasn't that the truth? Due to Bruce wanting to keep the hemophilia a secret as badly as Marionette, Doctor Schulyer had been tending to Marionette since she was brought to Wayne manor. One of the very few people who knew her secret.

The needle pierced her vain and she sucked in air through her teeth. It didn't hurt after it punctured everything but prior to that it was a pain she could go her entire life without ever knowing. A burning feeling raged through her body and Bruce continued to run his fingers through mahogany curls. His hands soothed her the way one would sooth a child. "It will all be worth it." He assured her. In truth it already was. Prior to receiving treatment, Marionette's life expectancy was only age of eleven. She already had an entire six extra years to be grateful for.

"Are you feeling okay?" Bruce asked as he took a seat on the stool her feet were currently propped up on.

Marionette's pink lips pulled into a weak smile "For now. My arm will hurt like crazy later though." A petty mahogany curl fell over her shoulder as her free hand moved to tug the hem of her white button down.

"I know, just remember that it's worth it. Alfred and I plan to enjoy your presence for a very long time. "His gaze held hers and for just a second…a twinge of pain slammed a pin into the girl's heart. Guilt always quipped her entire body when Bruce said things like that.

Shifting her free hand to his arm, Marionette leaned over and gave his knee a playful shake "Don't go soft on me now, Bruce." For a moment, that sweetness in her voice was crippled, but the emotion still existed in her blue eyes and so even Bruce did not see her mishap. Emotions…such an easy slip up when one is only human….

"You look tired." The billionaire spoke softly as he covered her hand with his own.

Marionette's physical response was to squeeze her adoptive fathers hand "Treatment always makes me a little dizzy." Her voice swooned slowly. "You don't look so good yourself, Bruce. Something bothering you?" longer than natural lashes fluttered as she stared at him through the bluest eyes.

"Nothing more than usual. I do want you home before dark until they catch this Jack the Ripper wannabe. Okay?" his eyes went from soft and weary to alert in just seconds.

"Jack the Ripper wannabe?" Questioned the groggy teenager as her head lulled to the side. "Bruce, the murderer is only after prostitutes according to the media. I am perfectl-…"

A large hand with long, thin fingers came to rest on the side of her ivory face "I am telling you this because I love you. After that maniac killed Jason…"

"Bruce." The girl pursed her lips admonishingly "Jason was murdered. You did all you could have for him in his life, you gave him a home…raised him…loved him…neither of us know what he was doing at that old warehouse…neither of us could have saved him even if we had been there. You and I are still alive…so" she breathed, catching her second wind. Talking for more than a few phrases always got harder after that needle was in her arm. Her blood practically burned in her veins. "Don't dwell on it. He's gone."

When Bruce let out a long sigh, Marionette knew she'd won. Just a little farther…she told herself and wetted her lips to speak, "I will be in before dark, if it will make you feel better. " her lips turned up into the sweetest smile she could muster.

"Thank you." Bruce responded slowly "I know Rachel keeps you busy." A few strands of brown slipped from where he'd combed his hair over and Marionette's free hand lunged with a python like reflex to fix it upon it's falter.

Being hemophilic meant that falling down the wrong way could result in internal bleeding that could potentially end her life and so Marionette became very particular about her footsteps and the movement of her body, balancing the awkwardness of it out with elegance to make it appear almost natural. Of course after a while of being so particular about the way she moved, walked, ate food, held sharp objects and shaved her legs, other OCD's followed to create one very, very particular female. There could be no flaws or Marionette would have a break down.

Bruce caught her dainty hand in his long fingers and she bit her lower lip "Sorry…um…should I see a doctor for that too?" her voice could have almost passed for meek.

Bruce only shook his head and let her hand rest peacefully in her lap "No, not unless you want to, your OCD is more of a preference then a problem; it's just something you've gotten used to. It also keeps you from bumping into things and hurting yourself severely. I don't see any reason for you to try and be rid of it"

A small smile crossed her lips and she let her head fall back, long mahogany curls cascaded over the back of the chair. It was kind of weird, her OCD was essential to her survival.

The session lasted its usual five hours. Bruce seemed to want to talk about nothing more than the recent murders of young women…there were times when he would catch himself and move into talking about hosting a fundraiser or buying something as useless as another hotel or possibly going on vacation somewhere far away. No matter what he changed the topic to, it always came back to crime. Sometimes Marionette wondered if Bruce knew how to have a normal conversation outside of a date. As for his crime obsession, she'd always figured it had something to do with his parents being murdered.

When Marionette slid into the passenger seat of Bruce's sports car she let her head fell back. Her arm felt like lead. "Does it hurt?" asked the boy billionaire as he shoved the key in the ignition.

"Only immensely." Retorted Marionette as she bit her lower lip "Hey uh Bruce?" she'd been mulling over the idea of interning at Arkham for a few months. After all she was going to need more than the occasional visit with Rachel if she was going to continue receiving assignments and if she knew her way around the place better, it would be easier to break Barton out when the time came.

As the car started down the road Bruce glanced at his adopted daughter "Hm?" he mused.

"I want to help out at Arkham Asylum." The words rolled off of a hesitant tongue. Lifting her hand to thumb through a mahogany curl, Marionette pushed on before he could answer "I think it would be beneficial to my goal of becoming a defense attorney. "

"I will never fully understand why you would want to dedicate your life to helping criminals." Bruce said as the corners of his lips turned down with distaste.

The teenager quickly responded with a firm voice "No one is really innocent, Bruce. Everyone deserves a voice that will fight for them even if they make a mistake. This city's system is crippled and it citizens are blind." The girl crossed one full thigh over the other and moved her hand to cover the bandage on her other arm.

"Marionette, Batman will-"Bruce started only to be cut off by the younger girl.

"BATMAN IS NOTHING!" her voice left her lips loud and pitchy as she balled her hands into fists. "Batman is part of the reason the system is so crippled! Can't you see that, Bruce?" her blue eyes were on him now, desperately searching his face for an answer. "Anyone else who throws on a costume and runs wild at night is locked up in Arkham…so why not him? How can the system stand if it is impartial?" her chest was heaving now, anger lit her gorgeous eyes.

"Fair enough." Bruce swallowed hard "How will helping out at Arkham benefit you?" a final question. A simple, understandable question.

"I want to shadow a doctor. Maybe Joan Leland or-" it then crossed Marionette's mind that a doctor at Arkham knew her secret and it would be smart to keep an eye on that just in case he decided to squeal "Crane." She said firmly "I want to shadow Crane. "

"Marionette, I have met that man. Both Rachel and I agree that he's a creep. That is not who I want you spending your time with." His voice made it sound final. Marionette was never one to give up.

"Bruce, the only other doctor I know there is Joan and I would spend too much time slacking off with her. Crane would keep me on task. This will help me get used to being around the kind of people I might be representing later. I want to know how they work, Bruce I know you can pull the strings to do this…please."

He swallowed hard and tipped his head back in thought just after stopping at a stop sign "Does it mean that much to you?"

Marionette nodded slowly as her eyes searched his body language for an answer. "Fine."

"Thank you." The blue eyed beauty stated with a soft appreciative smile.

Bruce simply cut her off with a wave of his hand "However, I will be personally dropping you off and picking you up. Do not leave there without calling me first and I want to have a talk with Crane." His voice was stern and he actually sounded like a father.

Marionette stroked two thin fingers over the bandage that wrapped around where the needle had been jabbed into her arm and she flinched slightly "Bruce it's not like I'm going to date the guy. I just want to follow him around and see how he handles his job."

"He doesn't scare you at all?" asked Bruce giving his adoptive daughter a look "You don't get a funny feeling around him?"

"Bruce has anything ever freaked me out?" the question was rather matter of fact. The man simply looked into the teenagers blue eyes. Haunting. Her gaze was always intense and her eyes hid so many black holes. Bruce had always written it off as a result of being tortured as a child.

Though Bruce was never truly one hundred percent sure that Marionette was ever a victim. The scene said she was, after all she was just a child. She was small and meek and weighed barely 90 LBS the day he'd found her hiding in a closet in the back of the Dollmaker's hideout. Her skin was bruised and her eyes cold. However when the medical report came back it stated very clearly that the girl was well fed. There were even times when Bruce had considered making her a Robin in place of Jason however, her hemophilia would complicate that. He knew there was no way she could survive a real fight. Marionette was delicate, sweet and bright.

_****** Bruce let his gaze flicker to her passive face. Something about Marionette's deep set eyes made it easy to see the logic that swam through them with the passing of every street sign and tree. Something vulnerable that could betray her if only someone could see past that smile. **_


	4. Internship

_**Authors Note~** _Here is chapter four for you lovely people, I am so glad you have been enjoying this story enough to keep reading it. For those of you who have only watched the movies, tsk tsk, and do not know who Jason Todd is, he was the second Robin, he was killed by the Joker in "Death of the Family." In this story he plays the part of Marionette's childhood friend though she did not know he was a Robin or had anything to do with Batman. Enjoy~

_**Chapter Four- Internship**_

_A pair of small feet pulled together so the toes of black dress shoes touched. "Are you going to be alright, Miss Mathis?" Alfred asked in his smooth voice before letting a large gloved hand rest on the 14 year old Marionette's shoulder. The young beauty's already milk white skin had gone ivory and red tinted her nose and cheeks. The girl was not used to crying, it was not something she often did. After all Marionette hated the empty feeling tears left deep inside of her._  
_"I just don't understand why Jason is dead." Her lower lip trembled as her blue eyes focused on the open casket containing her childhood friend's body. Jason was always energetic and cocky. A proud smirk had always been swept across perfectly thin lips but now he wasn't smiling or cracking god awful jokes. Jason Todd was silent and his face was passive._  
_"Miss Mathis would you like me to find Master Wayne for you?" the butler knew how odd it was for Marionette to cry. He knew it was hard for her not to grasp every little detail because everything else came so easily to her. The child simply shook her head and buried her small face into Alfred's stomach._

A pair of brilliant blue eyes fluttered open as a small groan escaped Marionette's lips. The library again? The girl inwardly cursed herself for falling asleep in the Wayne manor library yet again. Arching her back at an angle that caused it to crack quite loudly, Marionette slipped off the couch and dropped the book 'Of mice and men' down on the mahogany coffee table. A few blinks of her eyes would reveal the cup of tea Alfred must have brought down for her while she slept.  
Dainty fingers took careful hold of the fragile cup, the porcelain was smooth and warm against her fingers that always seemed to be cold as ice. The brim of the cup touched her lips and she allowed the sweet liquid to tempt her tongue. Hot tea washed down her throat and she looped her delicate index finger through the space between the curved handle and the side of the beautiful little tea cup. Still feeling slightly groggy, the girl watched her steps with careful eyes, her long satin blue robe hung open on her petite frame revealing the white tank top and grey girl boxers beneath. Though this left a few bruises out in the open, she wasn't worried. Simply bumping into the side of a table the wrong way could easily leave her with large black bruises. Each one could be explained rather simply.  
The walk up the steps from the huge basement that made up the library seemed, as always, an eternity. 'Aloisa Hess was found mutilated beyond recognition inside of her apartment. The only witness is nine year old Alexander Hess. The victim's mother is against forcing Alexander through any kind of trial.' The sound of the television caught Marionette's attention only for a moment as she loomed across the cherry wood flooring, covert by darkness. 'A reminder to keep your doors locked, this is the ninth prostitute murdered in the last three weeks. Gotham's finest are doing their best to put an end to this string of brutal murders but for now lock your doors and windows, avoid going out at night'  
Silhouetted against the frame of the living room door way, Marionette stared at the screen as the story progressed. After the third body they had begun referring to the killer, well to Marionette, as another Jack the Ripper. Though, Marionette knew that Jack was more or less famous for running off with body parts…the public mind simply saw the horrible mutilation of prostitutes and made the connection even if it was wrong.  
"I didn't hear you come up." Bruce muttered sleepily from where he was seated on the couch in front of the rather large television.  
"I fell asleep again. You know how tired treatment makes me, Bruce." Marionette soothed as she made her way over to the couch.  
"It's late, Marionette" his voice droned in a way that told her he was tired as well. Mari couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't gone to bed. A soft clink could be heard over the silence as she set the empty tea cup down on the mahogany table. "You should go up to your room, I talked to Joan Leland about an internship for you and she said she'd be more than happy to have you."  
Marionette's soft pale fingers moved through Bruce's dark hair as she cast her blue eyes down on his face "I can't sleep…I had another dream about Jason."  
A calloused thumb moved across her delicate cheek bone "That boy loved you to hell and back."  
A knot tightened in her stomach as her teeth took hold of her lower lip "I know." It was all she could think to say. Jason Todd was her best friend and in truth she may have loved him too. Despite her grip on most situations, it never escaped Marionette that she did not understand love entirely. It was an emotion she'd learned to mimic with warm smiles and butterfly kisses but it was something she'd never knowingly experienced.  
Marionette made the decision to ask Alfred about it next time the question came to mind. What does love feel like? What is it worth really? "Why are you on the couch and not in your California king bed?" her voice was soft but almost passive.  
"I uh…just felt like watching t.v." he answered almost hesitantly.  
"What happened to your forehead?" the blue eyed girl asked running the pads of her fingers over the darkening bruise that marred his usually perfect skin.  
"Oh that? Must of bumped it." Another sleepy drone "Don't worry so much about me, Marionette. Go on upstairs and try to get some sleep."  
A long sigh passed through her lips as she stood up and uttered "Maybe you should go easy on the parties for a bit, Hm? Just because the money exists doesn't mean you should spend it frequently."  
Bruce sighed and picked himself up, of course he hated that she saw him the way she did but he had a secret to protect. The floors creaked as he followed the petite beauty down the hallway. She seemed to be aware of him following but expressed no interest in him. "Mari, this isn't who I am…there is more…" the words fell from his lips so easily because he'd said them once before.  
Blue eyes shimmered in the darkness as she stared two deep holes into his skull "Bruce, I don't need to tell you this…you already know it…it doesn't matter…as long as you keep wasting huge sums of money…while this city rots…as long as you keep living the high life…while others suffer…as long as you continue to lie….that is all anyone will ever see…Bruce Wayne…the boy billionaire. Whatever is inside of you…doesn't matter…because you never let it show." Her tongue was quick and the words flying off of it were sharp. Marionette had always had a tongue that could cut like a blade.  
"I know…" it was all he could say. After all hadn't Rachel said the same thing? It's what you do that defines you.  
"Good night, Bruce." Her voice was firm as she turned away and made her way through the manor. The darkness did not pose a problem because Marionette memorized every room she ever set foot in the way a blind person would, to avoid bumping into anything. When she got up to her room, a dainty hand pushed the door open with a soft squeak only to shut it behind her with a soft click.  
000  
"Are you sure about this?" Bruce asked as he and Mari made their way across the staff parking lot. Arkham towered over them; even in the daylight the building was ominous and almost intimidating. A breeze moved through the mahogany curls that hung from Marionette's ponytail as she nodded in faint response. "Rachel said she would stop by on her lunch break to bring you something to eat, if you need anything just tell her."  
"Bruce it's not my first day of kindergarten." The statement came out with a rather cute rather forced giggle. "I'll be just fine."  
Marionette being the rather independent individual she was, did not like to be babied. Bruce for that matter was beginning to work her nerves with every word out of his mouth.  
A warm fatherly smile passed over his pale lips and he gave a slight nod of his head "Right, you will have to forgive me, I love you, little girl."  
Marionette held back a smile and rolled her all too blue eyes "Stop that!" ever since that first morning, when Marionette awoke to Bruce sipping his coffee at the vast table in his dining room, one ankle crossed over the other and he looked at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips and said "Good morning, little girl" that had been sort of a family nick name that only Bruce could call her by.  
The heavy steel doors of Arkham swung open and Joan immediately smiled in Bruce's face, the way all women seemed to do when he walked into a room. "We are really so very excited to have your daughter work with us." Those words translated into 'We are so happy to have the princess of Gotham in our building' Honestly Joan…Marionette's thoughts hissed….get a hold of yourself.  
"I have already informed Dr. Crane that he will have a shadow and an intern for the next few months. At least until Marionette has to go back to school, that is." The black haired woman pushed on with a smile in her brown eyes.  
"I would like to talk with Dr. Cra-"  
"Bruce." Marionette flashed him a pretty smile "It's time for you to go now."  
A small hint of irritation crossed his gaze but he nodded "You're right, have a good first day." his lips touched her forehead and Mari waved him off quietly.  
"Let me walk you down to his office." Joan stated with one of her smiles that Marionette always suspected was fake. Her lifestyle had lead her to believe most people were fake. Mari's response was a quiet nod. The rest of the walk was consistent of Joan explaining a few infamous pationts and expressing a few tips on how to deal with the mentally insane. All Marionette really wanted to do was get Jonathan Crane alone. She needed him to know she would make him keep her secret.  
"Go on in." Joan said as Mari approached the large wooden door that would open up to Crane's office. The master of fear glanced up from the papers fanned over his cluttered desk as Marionette shut the door behind her.  
"Hello Jonathan." a small teasing smirk graced her soft lips "My name is Marionette Mathis, I will be your intern this summer."


	5. Getting to know you

Chapter five-Getting to know you…

There was only silence for what seemed like a long time. Marionette had taken a seat on the side of Crane's desk; her delicate fingers ran over the engraved letters on the name tag adorning the cluttered space. "You can let me know what you're thinking anytime now, Dr. Crane." Those blue eyes flickered to his face, sending an eerie chill down his spine.

By no means was Jonathan afraid of this girl, he wasn't afraid of anything but she did give him the creeps. Her composure was impeccable and her eyes so full of morbid curiosity that she herself seemed to be just that, morbid, everything about her was odd, from the haunting blue of her eyes to the ghastly white of her skin. Jonathan exhaled and fixed his glasses "What kind of game are you trying to play?" his dark eyebrow arched causing a crease to form over his forehead.

"No game, I just like to keep my secrets close. I'm sure you of all people can respect such a thing." Her melodic voice flowed beautifully but menacingly from her artificial smile and Jonathan grew just a little more uncomfortable.

"I'm not afraid of you, you're a child." He spat as his long fingers moved to remove his white frame glasses from his structured face. "Miss Mathis, I am sorry for what is about to happen to you but this simply will not do." Crane's voice was terse, to the point and strict. Much like his blue eyes and the line his lips always seemed to press into.

Now it was Marionette's turn to arch a brow and shift a bit in her place. Jonathan was standing now; it then occurred to her that he wasn't all that tall. Probably only about three or four inches taller than her. "What is it exactly, Dr. Crane that you're apologizing for?" asked the sweet voice as Jonathan locked his office door with a loud 'click.'

"Don't you dare make a sound…" he warned blue eyes aglow as he advanced on her with strides of long legs. Marionette's composure didn't falter. The girl sat perfectly still, her blue eyes roaming over his body, the way he moved, the look on his face, the entire time analyzing him, waiting to see what he would do next. "I want those notebooks you took from my apartment back." His palms laid down on his desk, one on either side of her thighs. "Have you read through them?"

Her full lips parted slowly to form her words "Jonathan you aren't stupid." She held his blue eyed gaze, nearly nose to nose now, whispering as if there was a chance someone would hear her, Marionette continued "You know there is no possible way I could have read through all of them in such a short time….I did read through half of one."

His lips turned down into almost a grimace as his head tipped to the side "Oh? Half, huh? I would have expected more from someone who thinks she's so smart."

"Well your handwriting looks like shit." Retorted a voice so sweet the cursing sounded out of place. "And you'll get them back."

"When?" he questioned as his upper lip curled slightly into an irritated scowl.

Her pursed lips formed a condescending smirk "When I'm finished with this internship."

"Excuse me?" snapped Crane as his blue eyes filled with something a little past anger.

"That should keep your hands and toxins to yourself. I know you want those notebooks back, I want to make sure you keep your mouth shut. You now have an assistant that can file your actual work instead of the cover ups you write to hide it…I'd say everybody wins."

"And if I would rather just attack you and force you to produce those notebooks, what then?" a vein appeared just above his eyebrow as his jaw visibly clenched.

"Lay one hand on me…"Marionette spoke softly as if to lull a victim, her beautiful eyes stared straight into his "And I will tear my shirt off….pull this ponytail out…and run into the arms of the nearest nurse or doctor….and scream my motherfucking head off…trust me Jonathan…I can cry on queue…" her smile said something of 'So what was that about attacking me?'

Dr. Crane swallowed the knot in his throat and came to the conclusion that Marionette Mathis was dangerous on various different levels of every side of life. A dangerous murderer…a dangerous teenager…the most dangerous kind of teenager…a fucking smart one. This girl knew how to move people the way a puppeteer moves his puppets, fingers pulling the strings to the masters hearts content. Jonathan now found himself feeling slightly heated…this girl was pulling his strings…forcing him to do what she wanted…and she was a child. "Very well then…" Crane proceeded "You can start with the files in the bottom drawer of my desk. You will need a key to open that. Also for reasons that I feel should be quite obvious, you are not to leave my office with any paperwork in hand."

"Understood." The girl said with sincerity visible in her blue eyes "Key please, I'll get to work on those files for you."

Hours passed, Marionette sat quietly behind his desk, her eyes mulling over loads of information, and every now and then she would lift a pencil to add a side note or correct his spelling. Every time the girl found a mistake, Jonathan couldn't help but notice the way her eyes would narrow and her upper lip with curl with complete distain. Conclusion, Marionette Mathis is also picky. Finally Jonathan asked "How did Barton get ahold of you."

"It-uh was the day the criminals broke out of black gate…" her eyes never left the paper as she slipped another file into the "A-Ce" category. Her goal for his experiment reports was to alphabetize them by the subjects' last names. "He rescued me from the hysteria that broke out in my suburb."

"Mhm, right and what about Wayne, where does he fit into that mix?" Jonathan pressed for a little more as he lifted his briefcase into his lap and started to fumble about with the delicate set up inside.

"Why are you asking me so many questions?" her eyes continued to read over the report in front of her.

"I like to know who I'm trusting with my life's work." Crane stated simply.

"Well my name is Marionette Mathis."

"Was that always your name?"

"No."

"Can you remember your name, Marionette?"

"Yes and it is one of many things you and I will never discuss."

"Was it hard to let go of the name your mother gave to you?" he continued to mess with the triggering mechanism inside of his brief case.

"Not even a little." Again came a tone that did not suite the sweetness in her voice. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Marionette looked up and tipped her head to the side, blue eyes focused on Jonathan "What are you playing with over there?"

"It's a trigger that shoots they vapor form of my toxin. Last time I hit it, nothing happened and I'm trying to figure out why. My mask is creepy all on its own I suppose but it's not going to help me test my theories and new forms of the toxin." Jonathan explained not taking his eyes off of his work.

"Your mask?" she questioned "I guess I should have assumed you wore one but if these people are so delusional all they can think to do is scream it seems a little pointless to cover your face."

Crane was quick to explain "The mask is part of the experiment, would you like to see?"

Marionette's lips pulled back to frame two rows of gleaming white teeth "I would love to see your mask." The line fell naturally from her soft lips as she let her hand finally drop the pencil. It fell against a stack of papers, right on top of the highlighter green sticky note labeled 'Ra-T'

Jonathan lifted the folded stitch crossed burlap sack from his brief case and held it out for her. That sack looked wrong when held in her soft, delicate hands. She looked out of place everywhere she went. Her movements were unnatural, too graceful to be believable as anything more than a character from an old fantasia cartoon. To add to that she was too beautiful to sit beside Barton Mathis and not become the focal point of anyone's eye…to delicate to look right holding a knife…too soft to hold that mask…too set in her ways to be moved by Arkham asylum, and too real in this moment to stand beside Bruce Wayne or any other Gotham aristocrat. Finally, swallowing the knot in his throat Crane asked "What do you think?"

Marionette bit her lower lip as she ran her thumb across the stitched up mouth and fraying eye holes "It reminds me of that movie that came out not too long ago…Trick r' Treat." As for usual, Marionette's words were soft spoken. "Did you make this? Well of course you did the stitching is a mess."

"I'm not too concerned with the organization of the mask-"

"Organization isn't your thing, those reports were a mess…you scribble words down…you must have trouble reading that when you look back on it."

"Well if you want to rewrite it all, be my guest." Jonathan mumbled fighting the need to roll his eyes. Never had he ever in all his Twenty-nine years met a girl as difficult as this teenager.

"I think I'll do just that. I've got all summer." Marionette stated as if the task were simple.

"You're insane." Crane spat as he set his brief case down on the now less cluttered desk.

"Well if you say so, Doc, I mean you are the expert here." Her head fell back as if she were thinking something over. It was made clear when the math started falling from her mouth "Lemme see…there are…about eight 70 page notebooks in my possession and I'm guessing about four more in yours…that's…560 pages of your shitty hand writing for me to translate and rewrite…add in that probable extra four note books and…560 pages becomes…840…give or take a few folders of more unorganized crap. I will be pretty busy this summer."

"Aren't teenagers supposed to enjoy summer vacation?" Jonathan interjected in an attempt to hide the fact that he was impressed with her and how fast she'd figured that out right off the top of her head. She'd done it in seconds. "You know, go to the mall or something, and hang out with friends?"

Marionette arched an eyebrow at him "I'm an unusually unlikeable person."

"You don't have a single friend your age?" Crane asked in disbelief. She was beautiful, intelligent, a little OCD but that shouldn't have made too much of a difference in the eyes of a seventeen year old boy.

In truth Marionette's medical condition had always kept her far away from playgrounds. "You'll get hurt." Bruce would always tell her. She thought back on a time when she did spend the afternoon with Bruce and Alfred at the park….there were no other kids. "Alright hold still." Bruce smiled as he lifted the tiny eight year old onto his shoulders. Marionette's curly mahogany hair had been pulled back into a ponytail that fell all down her back. Her tiny feet were clad in black dress shoes, her legs in white stockings adorned with pink polka-dots that matched the rose pink dress that wrapped around her small torso. Whenever Rachel came around back then she liked to dress Mari up like a doll. Funny, Barton enjoyed that too. It was never an argument because Mari enjoyed being made pretty, she liked the way it felt when someone brushed her hair the way Rachel did. Marionette, despite her independence liked to be taken care of…it seemed like she'd forgotten that much…because she didn't know how to let anyone take care of her anymore. "Why couldn't Jason come with us?" asked the eight year old as her slender fingers worked a stray strand of Bruce's hair back into what she thought was its rightful place.

"Jason had to spend the day with Uncle Dick." Bruce explained as best he could without having to tell her that Jason was training to be the next Robin. Marionette knew nothing of Bruce being Batman or Jason being Robin and Bruce felt there was no reason to drag her into it. "He'll come with us next time."

The child's blue eyes focused on the orange sky as she let her chin rest atop her folded hands on Bruce's head "Promise it's not because he's older than me?"

"Jason loves you, little girl. He's family and he doesn't care about that." His voice was all the reassurance she needed "How's your arm?"

"Bruised." She mumbled feeling the purple skin rub against the brown fall coat Alfred had asked her to wear due to the breeze "A lot." She added with a soft wince.

"No, not since my friend died about three years ago." She stated rather matter-of-factually.

"You are a rather unusual individual, Miss Mathis." Crane said as he slipped his glasses back into place, his blue eyes reflected confusion as he thought back on what he thought may have been the oddest most beautiful thing he'd ever heard, "I would love to see your' mask."


	6. Revival

Chapter Six- Revival

"You're leaving early today?" Crane asked with an arch of his dark brow. Blue eyes alight as they fell on Marionette's back. The girl slipped her arms into her black jacket and nodded as her hands freed her long curls that had been trapped by the back of her coat.

"I'm on assignment." Her tone was sweet for a mouth that spoke of murder. "I'll make up for it tomorrow."

"Not that I care or anything but…will you be careful out there?" his eyes never left his work, well it wasn't real work it was another cover up for Falcone.

"Jonathan Crane." Mused the blue eyed beauty "Was that concern I just heard come out of your mouth?"

"Not at all." His voice was now bitter, cold as ice, droll "It would simply look god awful on my image if you, as my intern, were to be declared insane." It then hit him suddenly "How is it no doctor has declared you insane?" his blue eyes caught the fleeting smile that kissed her soft lips.

"Is it that obvious?" a sing song giggle was ever so barely trapped by her smile as she checked her reflection once on her phone screen.

"No offense." Jonathan mused "But yes, it is fairly obvious to any professional that you have a few screws loose up there." He gestured to his head with a pointed finger.

"They always blame it on me having supposedly been kidnapped by Barton Mathis when I was a child." Her hand was on the door knob now. In truth she had no problem sitting and having a conversation with Dr. Crane because she didn't have to lie. Marionette had never liked to lie. She was simply good at it. Lying became necessary once she started living with Bruce and it was easy to let the words flow rather simply…but it never stopped hurting after the fact.

When she was talking to Jonathan, not only was she talking to someone she had by the balls, someone who could never tell her secret without facing a consequence she knew he would rather die than face…but she was also talking to someone who like her, led a double life. Good Doctor Jonathan Crane….The Scarecrow. Marionette Wayne the Princess of Gotham….The second Jack the ripper…Daughter of Barton Mathis…Murderer…Dollmaker's accomplice. Perhaps she had too many faces to count. Perhaps that made Jonathan Crane just a little bit better then Marionette Mathis.

"No one thinks you're crazy?" She asked as she heard Rachel yell from down the hall.

Jonathan shook his head "No, just uptight."

"Well I have news for you, they're right." The door closed behind her and she made her way toward Rachel in long strides.

"Hey hun," The brunette's pretty smile stretched her cheeks as she wrapped an arm around the teenager's shoulders. "I can't believe you willing spend your summer vacation with that man." A blast of warm summer air hit the two young women in the face causing Marionette's curls to flail away from her ivory face.

"He's not that bad." The younger of the two shrugged and shot her friend a glance "We barely speak to each other. I just file work and organize his desk. He usually acts like I'm not even there."

"Yeah that's because the man can't hold a decent conversation." Rachel shot back as she opened up the door on the driver's side of her car. Marionette slipped into the passenger's seat and let her head press against the cold window. The cool glass felt like heaven against her skin and she slipped into her thoughts. Jonathan can't hold a conversation? Yet Rachel talks to Bruce…and thinks he can. Bruce can't hold a conversation worth a damn…Jonathan seems to do so effortlessly. It then occurred to her that she, herself, held a conversation best when she didn't have to lie. That was probably true for everyone. What is Bruce lying about?

"Listen, Rachel" Marionette sat up randomly and turned her blue eyes on the brunette "I need to pick up a few books for Dr. Crane, will you drop me off at the library? Tell Bruce I'll walk home when I'm finished?"

Rachel pursed her lips in thought "Does that man ever give you a break?" the car made its way down the road and turned a corner. Marionette watched the street lights that would go unlit until it got dark. Her eyes scanned over signs and other cars as if she thought something would jump out at her. "Mari?"

"Huh?" squeaked the teen as she looked her friend over almost confused.

"Does he ever give you a break?"

"No he's god awful when it comes to things like that." Marionette retorted as they pulled into the library parking lot. It seemed rather empty but then again, not many people went outside anymore with that crazy murderer on the loose.

"Call me if you need anything!" Rachel yelled as Marionette walked away, waving her off with a delicate hand. It would be okay to leave in about twenty minutes. Rachel would back to work by then. Mari simply could not risk being seen walking toward the hideout, especially by Rachel.

As she walked through the class doors a calm voice asked "Can I help you Miss Mathis?" upon hearing his familiar voice the girl swung around on her heel, swerving her body to the left to look at him.

"Mr. Fox, funny running into you here. It's been a while." Curls fell over her shoulders and she smiled her prettiest smile. "Why are you here?"

"Does Mr. Wayne know you were left here with no ride home?" Lucius asked giving her a questioning look with his dark brown eyes.

"Depends do you still work with him?" it was a stupid question, one she really didn't know the answer to but that really didn't matter. Stupid questions and pretty smiles made her come off as a trouble making teenager not a conniving vindictive little bitch.

"Yes, in fact I do. Would you like for me to call him? I'm sure he wouldn't object to a date if you just told him who it is you plan on meeting." Lucius broke into a light chuckle as smile lines creased his aging face.

Marionette tipped her head to the side and let a twitchy smile pull at the corners of her lips "A date? Oh no, that's not the case at all. I was just-"

"There is nothing to be ashamed of Miss Mathis, you should have dates at your age."

"Trust me, Mr. Fox, no guy my age would be interested in a date at the library. I recently got a job as an intern at Arkham and my boss says he needs a few books, plus I would like to grab a couple for myself for when I get bored and feel like reading. I can call Bruce and have him pick me up right after." Another pretty smile and her eyes lit up to make it almost real.

Lucius gave her another suspicious look "I would feel more comfortable if you let me take you home, with all due respect Miss Mathis, I don't think Mr. Wayne would approve of you being in town without an escort given the circumstances, what with this new Jack the Ripper character being on the prowl for young women."

Marionette all but felt something inside of her head snap in two. Sometimes plans just didn't work out. She would have to go another way. Given she didn't know much about Lucius Fox…she knew he wasn't about to let her walk out alone, nor was he going anywhere until she was safe with him or Bruce. She would have to let him take her home. There was no way around it that wasn't risky.

"I appreciate it, just let me grab these books and then we can go." She gestured toward a shelf in the back with her thumb and started to make her way across the grey carpeting.

"You know, Miss Mathis, now I think about it, doesn't Mr. Wayne have his own personal library?" upon hearing his voice, all Marionette could think was 'Why the hell do you ask so many questions?'

She quickly shot back as her fingers started to skin over a section of books on different types of phobia "Yes he does but I spend all my time down there, Mr. Fox, I am positive the book I want isn't down there and I also need to grab a couple books for Dr. Crane."

"Phobias huh?" Lucius asked as his deep brown eyes skimmed across everything her fingers prodded "Odd, I'm certain a psychologist like Crane would already know all about this kind of thing."

"Oh he does, I've taken an interest in pharmacology, actually and also phobiology."

"Sounds like your new friend has had a little bit of an influence on you." Fox made the statement with a subtle tone as Marionette grabbed three books off the shelf and shifted her body to the right making her way toward the other side of the library.

"Well if I have to spend all summer going through his reports I might as well enjoy what I'm reading." she explained trying her hardest not to cringe as she approached another shelf and pretended to glimpse over various books with a lot of thought. Really she was just looking for anything Lucius would believe Jonathan might have asked for. "You never told me why you were here, Mr. Fox." Marionette stated pointedly.

"I was just out for a walk, fresh air seemed like a good idea while the sun was still in the sky. Thought it might be nice to start reading a new book and when I noticed you here I thought maybe you would need a ride home." as he explained, Mari selected a book on retirement and how to deal with it. Her curvaceous body swung around and she walked around Lucius toward the checkout desk. "Also Miss Mathis, how on earth did you get Mr. Wayne to let you volenteer at Arkham?"

"Mr. Wayne? As in Bruce Wayne?" chimed the highschool student behind the checkout desk.

"See what you did?" Marionette mumbled as she flashed the girl a pretty smile, delicate fingers pushed the books across the cherry wood desk.

"That makes you Marionette Wayne, oh my goodness you really do look like a doll. It's a real pleasure."

Marionette again offered the girl a smile and said "It's nice to meet you too." After the books were checked out, Marionette slipped into the passenger's seat of Mr. Fox's car.

"Thank you." she stated as polite as she could when the car started moving.

"Marionette." Lucius let his tone grow a little more serious "Do not sneak around behind his back, not only will he catch you but it will break his heart when he does. Mr. Wayne loves you more then anyone could love another person. Now I have no idea why Miss. Dawes allowed you to get out of her car with the intention of walking home alone but you know there is a killer running around carving up young girls. Mr. Wayne would have no clue what to do if anything ever happened to you. Think about that next time you go off on your own."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I will apologize to Bruce the moment I see him." it was all she could think to say. It was all there was to say. Arguing would only worsen the situation. Sure Bruce would be mad but he would forgive her. He always did.

"How long have you been working with Dr. Crane?" Lucius asked as he glanced at the teen.

"About two weeks now." she answered without much thought and pressed her forehead against the window. Sneaking out of Wayne manor in the middle of the night was a fucking trick. Then again with Bruce's birthday coming up things around the manor were getting a little hectic, not that Bruce seemed to notice. Maybe that little bit of excitement would give her the chance to slip out.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fox and Miss Mathis...I'm sure Master Wayne will be quite pleased to see the both of you however I am also quite certain he will find it odd that you've turned up together." Alfred stated in his usual calm tone, raising a perfectly white eyebrow at Marionette who had already started to feign nervousness.

"Mari, Lucius…" Bruce broke in looking rather baffled the same as the butler had when he first opened the door "How on earth did you come across her, Lucius?"

"well, Mr. Wayne I do believe that is for your daughter to explain." The older gentleman gestured to Marionette with his hand as he took a step back as if to give her the floor.

Vamp it up girl…The thought passed through her head as she blinked emotion into her eyes and let the words spill flawlessly from her lips "Bruce…I'm sorry…I just….I needed to grab a few books from the library and I didn't want to inconvenience Rachel by causing her any delay or making her come back to get me so I was just going to walk home after I was finished. I ran into Mr. Fox the moment I walked inside."

The anger in Bruce's eyes was apparent and his tone came out slightly rasped "And it's a good thing you did. Alfred, Lucius, please…give me a minuet alone with my daughter." The prince of Gotham waved both men off as his eyes set on the delicate structures of his precious little girl's face.

"Yes master Wayne, right this way, Mr. Fox, I think you would find the garden to your liking." The butler's English droll disappeared down the long corridor to the left along with the sound of two pairs of expensive leather shoes against hard cherry wood.

"Bruce." Mari began only to be cut off when he threw up a warning finger and walked across the floor to lean on the railing belonging to the winding staircase. "I'm sorry, I really would have been fine." That part was true.

Wayne finally responded, this time his voice was serious, almost rough and it matched the anger in his eyes. "It is dangerous out there, Marionette. The city is a scary place at night and there are people out there who will hurt you, they won't stop to think just because you're a kid or because you're a girl or because you're beautiful, some men do not care! They will kill you if given the chance!"

"Oh how the hell would you know anything about what the city looks like at night, Bruce?" Marionette shot back this time in full heat. It was one thing to lecture her but another for him to suggest that he sees how Gotham is rotting, to suggest that he knows how dangerous and filthy it really is. "When such things are happening you are off at some party! Off with some girl! Just gone somewhere!" her voice rasped as she closed her mouth, sealing her full lips with a taut line.

"Mari, what have I told you, Batman will-"

"Batman is nothing." Marionette repeated slowly "Nothing. Batman locks the insane up while criminals go free….while the mob runs the city…while gangs rape young girls….while prostitutes sell their children….Batman will focus on keeping Edward Nigma from breaking out of Arkham for fear of him possibly doing business with Carmine Falcone….when he could just kill Falcone so Nigma has no chance of trading with him…Kill those gang members before they rape that young girl…kill that prostitute before she brings her baby into her sick line of work….and stop this cities problems at the source." Her tone was a little breathy now "Killing gets the job done, Bruce."

A small smile tugged at the corner of the dark knights lips, despite the things she'd just said, Bruce simply could not help but say "You sound just like, Jason."

"Well Bruce, maybe if Batman was worth a damn, Jason would still be here now because if your so called hero was worth a damn, no little boy or girl would ever have to die the way he did." The amount of immense pain that circulated in Wayne's eyes told Marionette that she'd said all of the right things and that if she could just push him a little farther, this would all wrap up in an irritated apology, a hug and a 'Leave me alone, I'm going to my room.' On her part.

"Mari." His voice was brittle and she heard the rasp that caught so deep in his throat. Upon hearing that pathetic sound, Marionette wrapped her arms around the neck of her adoptive father. In response his arms fell around his waist and pulled her tightly against him. "Mari I'm sorry." He sounded as if he'd let her down in some way. He sounded like he was the one who failed to save her friend, then again Jason did look up at Bruce like a father, perhaps Bruce felt he should have saved Jason.

"It's okay, it's no big deal." She soothed as she moved to run her fingers through his dark hair "You're right, I should be more careful. I won't do anything like that again, I promise…It's not fair of me to make you worry about me…with all you've done for me, Bruce I am so sorry."

Wayne backed up, cupping her soft, delicate face in his calloused hands he studied her. His eyes watched the emotion that ran rampant through her stunning orbs, scanning over her soft lips that had turned up into beautiful smiles so many times since she'd started to live with him all those years ago. "No" he rasped "No one can." The statement made the young girl raise an eyebrow at her adoptive father.

"Are you okay?" Marionette asked feeling Bruce's thumbs massages small circles into her cheeks.

"Please go to your room and do not come down…until I send Alfred for you…"

"Bruce?" she questioned again, bringing a hand to the side of his face "You seem confused."

"Just do as I asked." Snapped the prince of Gotham.

"Fine." quipped the young beauty as she turned and made her way up the steps "Just leave me alone for the rest of the night, I'm not hungry enough to eat dinner...I'm tired." and even though Bruce never verbally answered her, Marionette knew she would be left alone tonight.

Mari closed her bedroom door with a rather soft 'click' before turning around once again to lock it. It was a good thing she'd made the choice to leave Arkham a little early because it was already dusk. Mahogany curls cascaded over her shoulders as she tucked pillows underneath her comforter, just in case someone did go far enough to unlock her door simply to check on her. Slipping her arms into the sleeves of a murky colored grey hoodie, Marionette cast her eyes on the door and then to the tree outside her window.

A shift of her window and she stepped out onto the roof top. A few years ago, being up so high would have bothered her but, over time such a fear became trivial. A tree branch was extended to the point of almost touching her the framed glass that made up her window. This made it rather easy to get off of the roof fast. Her one and only regret was wearing a skirt today. Skirts were not good tree shimming atire. The heels of her shoes touched the roots on the ground, blue eyes glanced back at the house to make sure no one was pulling in or pulling out of the driveway. "Time to go." mumbled Marionette as she kicked her heels off and pulled the hood belonging to her grey hoodie up over her head, only a few curls managed to stay visible as she started a long jog down the street.

Sure it was a long run but Marionette paid it no mind. Running through the city allowed her to witness it's progress and also just how bad getting to be. Gotham was truly rotting from the inside out. It wasn't the fault of the criminally insane though, no. It was the mob, it was Carmine Falcone it was the night walkers and druggies...and she, Marionette Mathis...was the answer to it all because she would do everything Batman would never do...she would kill them because Killing gets the job done. Gotham's guardian angel, an angel of death.

A swift move into a darkened alley and Marionette skulked through the shadows. Her lungs burned and her legs ached but she only slowed down to catch her breath. Her blue eyes seemed to glow in the dark as she glanced over her shoulder to be sure she wasn't being followed though as of five minutes ago she could have sworn she had a shadow. No one came forth. If someone wanted to hurt her a dark alley would be an ideal place to do so. Her next thought was that it wasn't uncommon for glass to be shattered over alley ways and she was hemophilic and barefoot. Not a good combination.

Shifting onto the tips of her toes, Mari focused her eyes on the ground and gracefully made her way through the darkness, there was indeed shattered glass, she carefully evaded it and drew a soft breath of air as she made her way into the forest just outside of Gotham. "Anton!" yelled the blue eyed girl as she made her way up onto the porch of the Doll Maker's hide out.

"Big sis!" chimed the younger boy as Marcel pulled the flimsy door open.

"Marionette, you are here a bit later then Anton and I expected you'd be...it will be very dark by the time you get back to Wayne manor and I don't think it's a good idea for you to walk all that way at night. Perhaps you should just come back here." he stopped only when Marionette held a finger to his thin lips.

"I can go stay with a friend until morning if it truly gets that dark." her voice was soft but pointed as Anton pushed his pungent face into her stomach and wrapped his chubby arms around her hips. Marionette placed a delicate hand in his red hair and bit her lower lip "I'll bring something nice to cook next time I come here and we'll all have dinner together, alright?" her blue eyes shimmered as they reflected the smile on the younger boys face.

Untangling herself from Anton, Marionette walked back to her old room and slipped into her leather corset, shorts, stockings and combat boots. Despite her wearing a mask over it, she always applied makeup to her face, make up similar to her porcelain mask.

. She would paint her ivory skin over with paper white, apply black lipstick to her lips and smear glitter over her longer than average eyelashes. All of that just to cover it with a mask. Her hair went up into a ballerina bun fairly quickly tonight and she needed that, she needed to be ready fast.

Black blanketed the sky as the young doll moved gracefully through the city, rooftop to rooftop in an attempt to avoid a run in with anyone other than a woman named Karen Mills. Apparently Karen was not only a prostitute but also a skanky little slut who played mistress to the owner of a downtown strip club. She is responsible for the kidnapping and trafficking of over twenty two teenage girls. The plan tonight is to not only kill her but figure out where she sent those young ladies off to.

Marionette's platformed boot found a windowsill as she stepped into the darkened penthouse. The windows open...the thought bounced around in Mari's head for what felt like a million years as she crept farther into the house. "Either someone is really stupid...or.." the words came out...out loud...soft and hushed until the sound of the floor creaking beneath her combat boots quieted, she was walking on carpet now. The living room was vast, spacious and in the middle of the floor, mangled from her head to her toes, lying in the middle of the floor and done up to look like a doll...was Karen Mills.


	7. Nightcap

Chapter seven- Nightcap

A pair of cold dead eyes stared up at a horrified Marionette, warm crimson soaked into the carpet and spread the way ink did when it fell in black drops on white paper. Her limbs had been cut apart only to be sewn back together, giving her the appearance of an old raggedy Ann doll. Slowly, Marionette began to back out of the living room, craning her head from side to side to check and see that whatever killed Karen Mills had run off. "You know that wasn't easy?" a male's voice sounded from the darkness, from somewhere behind her. Mari swung around on her heel, blue orbs peering through porcelain eye slits for the source of the sound. "You manage so much precision and I would love to know where you learned that, Mari Wayne." The man crooned as he appeared behind her, a strong arm hooked around her neck and dragged her back against his chest.  
"Who are you?" her voice was fierce and did not let onto how freaked out she was that he'd just said her name. Mari relaxed, she let her body ease up and feel for just a moment. She could tell by their position that he was about a head taller than her, he was wearing a bomber jacket which, judging from the gun powdery kind of smell, contained explosives.  
The muffled sound of his voice when he said "Gotham's newest crime lord." Told her that her attacker wore a mask.  
"Why did you kill, Karen Mills?" Marionette asked as a mahogany curl slipped from her ballerina bun.  
"She no longer deserved to live, I had to scare you a little bit, not to mention I don't need witnesses for what's about to happen to you, Mari."  
"Oh yeah?" she mused and brought her elbow back into his rib cage with a hard swing, his grip on her loosened and she thrust her combat boot into his chest, flinging the masked man in the bomber jacket rolling in what looked like a painful manner across the bloodied carpet.  
The masked man groaned, shifting onto his hands and knees as the glimmer of a dagger caught his eye. "Xena warrior princess is it?" he chuckled bringing himself to his feet.  
Marionette snickered behind the porcelain mask she wore "Xena wishes she were me" she lunged at him full force, a flick of her wrist and she sent a dagger spiraling his way. The attacker evaded the dagger only to receive a white heel in the face of his mask, her weight balanced on her hands as she tumbled over, long full legs wrapped around his neck on her way down, dragging his body to the ground so she could straddle his hips. "You aren't even fighting me seriously….why…who are you…how the fuck do you know who I am?" the words came out as a demand. Before he could speak she produced another dagger and pressed the blade to his throat "And don't you think for even a second that I only kill women, I don't care what the news says, I will slaughter you and make you into the prettiest doll yet, just you fucking wait. The collection could always use a Ken or two."  
"It's nice to see you remembered your training, makes me really proud, Marionette but what the hell are you doing out in the streets? Huh?" it was a taunt. She knew it was a taunt. His wasn't the kind of mask one could just pull off, there was some kind of mechanism hidden somewhere to make it retract and open.  
"SHUT UP!" snapped the doll as she flipped the dagger skillfully between her fingers "You threw my schedule…complicated my night…and more importantly you didn't even attempt to copy my job right…fuck off" The red hood's mask broke beneath the impact of the handle of the girl's dagger. Marionette found herself staring into a pair of blue eyes, crystal clear and full of some sort of amusement. A tuft of white marred black hair as Jason Todd smirked up at his childhood sweetheart.  
"Jason." The frantic doll nearly lost her breath.  
"Hey, long time no see right? I bet Bruce still keeps you in the dark, huh? But from the looks of it" he chuckled as his blue eyes lit up "You're keeping him in the dark just the same. Marionette Wayne is Gotham's Jack the ripper. Guess I should have guessed it, you were always slick, such a pretty face can lie so believably…but I know something…your other opponents never did ." that smirk turned to an evil sneer as he thrust his fist hard into her stomach and sent her tumbling over, her slender body rolled across the floor.  
It hurt, a burning pain ripped through her stomach, the girl wheezed and clutched her stomach where he'd punched her. Gasping she hissed "God damn it Jason!" warm irony crimson flooded her throat as her once dearest friend grabbed her up by the ballerina bun she wore in her hair, stray locks of hair framed her face as he pulled her to her feet by that handful of her hair.  
"You really shouldn't curse; your voice is a bit too sweet for that, Marionette it doesn't suit you." His lips were right against her ear now, breath like death sent chills down her back "Now tell me again, what are you doing in these streets?"  
Blood leaked through the corners of her sealed lips, drizzling down her chin entwined with her salvia as she turned haunting blue eyes on her friend, just a shift of her gaze with a slight turn of her head "Cleaning them up." She spat, droplets of hot crimson splattered against his cheek.  
The corners of Jason's mouth turned down with distaste "What?"  
"Killing gets the job done, something the batman doesn't understand." She hacked, a disgusting noise erupted from the back of her throat as she leaned over and spat out another mouthful of blood "God Jason, are ya trying to kill me?"  
"I was, I was going to kill you…do you have somewhere you can go? I know you can't go home like this…and a hospital is out of the question."  
"Yes." She rasped "I have a friend I can stay with until morning. I just had a treatment a few days ago so I think it'll clot if I rest up for a few days…I just…have to get some rest." She had started to wheeze, shaking slightly "Once I'm done coughing up blood…I can go home…Bruce won't find it weird if I sleep for about three days on end…you know that."  
Out the corner of her eye, Marionette saw her old friend smile "Yeah." He said quietly, smoothly "I know. We used to find you asleep in the weirdest places. "  
"Why did you change your mind about killing me?" Mari asked softly, making an attempt not to choke in the middle of her question.  
"We happen to have the same purpose; we'll talk more later, alright? How far away is this friend of yours from here?"  
"Not far." She answered as Jason released her. Her fingers soothed over her stockings as she leaned down to re-tie the laces of her right combat boot.  
"Will you be able to walk there?" Jason asked standing behind her crouching figure. "Marionette?" he asked again just seconds later as if he thought she did not hear him. Abruptly she shot up from her kneeling position, twisted her body around and sliced a deep gash across his chest. His grey shirt parted around her blade, exposing the bloodied, torn skin beneath. The older shrank back in pain; His blue eyes wide with shock as he stumbled backwards, a pack of cigarettes fell from his pocket and hit the floor. "What the fuck?" he wheezed as he stared up at her cold blank expression for a face. She looked like a stone doll.  
"Did you really think I would let you throw me around? That I would just walk out of here coughing up my own blood and not spill any of yours? Damn, Jason, I thought you knew me better." She stated as she flipped the knife repeatedly, lacing it through her fingers. The moonlight shining in the window caused the crimson staining the silver blade to illuminate. "You won't die; honestly…it's just a big ass scratch." Turning on her heel Marionette walked toward the window, her silhouette nearly consumed by darkness only too look back over her shoulder "And one more thing, next time you try to copy my work, keep in mind that raggedy Ann is not my style. "Before he could open his mouth, the doll like girl disappeared out the window and up to the roof, where she'd come from.  
So many complications tonight. First and foremost…she couldn't go home but Bruce couldn't know she left without talking to him first…and second…Jason Todd is alive. Jason Todd is alive…that fact smacked her in the face like a ton of breaks. He's alive and just like her...leading a life…no one knows about. Overwhelming. She started to stumble, walking aimlessly across the roof top only to climb lower and lower until she was on the street again, warm crimson continued to fill her mouth and as she walked she spit it out. Blue eyes fell on the familiar fire escape belonging to a certain Jonathan Crane, and she made her way up to his window rather slowly. It was getting to be painful just moving.  
The lights inside of the house were all out, not a sound to be heard. He must have been asleep. Her eyes locked on the shape in the little bed beside the cluttered desk. He was asleep. Slowly, she unlaced her boots and stepped onto the soft red carpet that covered the floor. Her shorts slid down her thighs over her stockings and panties and she walked right over to the closet. Opening the door slowly, Marionette's eyes skimmed over the many suites and ties that were neatly hung. At least his closet was more organized then his work. Her fingers began to thumb through a pile of pants stacked up on a shelf, looking for any kind of soft material.  
Grabbing a pair of plaid sweat pants from the bottom of the pile, she smiled, running her fingers over the material, soft, warm. They would do for tonight. Mari stepped into the sweats and then went about unlacing her corset. It was impossible to fit a bra into the corset and so she grabbed a grey tank top off of a hanger, it hung on her form just a bit, then again so did his pants. Not by much though, Jonathan was just a little bit taller than her and he was a pretty narrow guy, thin anyway.  
Next she made her way to the side of the bed that Jonathan wasn't curled up on and climbed in beside him. Though she could still taste warm iron in the back of her throat, the blood had stopped coming up in mouthfuls. "What is it that you think you're doing?" his voice nearly made her roll out of bed.  
Marionette rolled over and found herself staring into his piercing eyes, eyes that seemed to glow in the dark "I can't go home tonight." She mumbled "and I don't want to be alone right now…I'm kind of shaken up." Weather Jonathan realized it or not, he was the closest thing she had to a real friend. Jonathan Crane was the only person that Marionette Mathis had never lied to.  
Jonathan raised an eyebrow at her and yawned quietly as he moved a hand to her forehead "What happened, Marionette?"  
She bit her lower lip "Will you make me leave if I say I don't want to talk about it?"  
"Most likely." He mumbled, his blue eyes fluttered and she could tell he was about to fall back asleep "I'm asking for research purposes, I want to know what makes a girl with-" another yawn broke his sentence "such a strong stomach and disregard for human life so worked up. " those haunting eyes settled on her face as he awaited her answer.  
"You're such a creep." Mari mumbled, a small half smile tugged at the corners of her blood stained lips.  
"You just broke into my house and-"another yawn "went through my closet…creep."  
"Dr. Crane, was that a playful remark? You almost looked your age for a second there."  
"Funny you say that." Jonathan mumbled as his eyes started to close once again.  
"Why?" she asked, her voice hushed.  
"You never look your age, Marionette Mathis." The words left his mouth in a slow droll, his blue eyes were lidded. As he spoke she sat up and started to fumble with her hair, unaware of the tired eyes that never left her face.  
"I guess you could blame that on a few different things." Her fingers worked her hair out of her ballerina bun, or what was left of it. Mahogany curls fell over her shoulders and fanned over the pillow as she lay back down.  
"Yeah, hard to act one age when you have a hundred different faces. Do you ever give yourself whiplash Marionette?" His fingers brushed over the pillow, capturing a few locks of her hair. "Keep this out of my face or I'll chop it off."  
Marionette nodded and started to resituate so that her hair would fall behind her "Thank you, Jonathan, for letting me stay."  
"Yeah, don't dwell on it too much, I'll be interrogating you the moment you're awake." He promised "Plus I like not having to do all of the work around my office. You-"another tired, strained yawn "Make it easier for me to sneak around and do my actual work."  
"Night, Jonathan." Mari mumbled as she rolled over so her back faced him. The blood had stopped now, the taste lingered but she was sure she had stopped bleeding. That didn't surprise her either. Jason knew just how to hit her. It was Jason who taught her how to avoid fatal blows…it was Jason who taught her how to fight when they were younger. Jason knew exactly how to hit her, hard enough to cause a little internal bleeding…but not so hard that she would bleed profusely and die and right in the stomach.  
Eventually Marionette's eyes closed and she fell into a deep sleep. That night she dreamed of chasing a black crow through a darkened forest. A forest that reminded her of the one Snow-white ran through after the huntsman let her go. Dark and scary with the eyes of a hundred unknown beings watching. She wore an ankle length white strapless dress, her hair was left to cascade down her back and her hands reached relentlessly for the crow. No matter how the roots and gravel tore at her bare feet, she kept running. Long, jagged roots burst from the ground and bound her arms, thorn and splinters the size of daggers plunged into her arms. When she opened her mouth to scream, not a sound came out. Crimson stained her white dress and a dizzy feeling filled her head. Only now, the crow turned back, came to rest on the top of her head and started to peck at her eyes. Blood streamed down her ivory cheeks mixing with tears as she continued to noiselessly cry out.  
Her eyes shot open and she lunged out of bed, hands pawing at her eyes as if she needed to make sure they were still inside of her head. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead and cheeks as she groaned, feeling even more dizzy then she had in her dream. "You talk in your sleep." Crane stated rather bluntly from where he now stood in the door way. He was already dressed in a silver suite with a nice navy tie. Not a hair out of place, pure perfection as if he'd made made over by the Dollmaker himself.  
"Really?" Marionette asked with what most would call an attitude "I've never slept beside anyone before so, I wouldn't know." her now matted curls fell over her exposed shoulders.  
Jonathan shook his head "I didn't sleep beside you, after awhile of listening to you babble about crows and the dead coming back to life, I went and slept on the couch. It was wildly inappropriate for me to even lay in a bed with you given the fact that you are a child."  
Her blue eyes narrowed as she threw her legs over the side of the bed "Well thanks for the nightcap, Johnny but I should go."  
"The nightcap was not free, I still have questions."  
"Fine." huffed the teen as she shot him a look of annoyance "Go ahead, shoot."  
"Why is your mouth covered in blood."  
"I recently took to cannibalism." Mari retorted.  
"Funny, I always took you for a man eater, why did you come to my house?" he continued.  
"I was tired."  
"Why were you so shaken up?" his blue eyes seemed to bore holes into her skull.  
"I had a run in with an old friend, if you must know."  
"Why were you so weak?"  
"The hell are you talking about?"  
"You were stumbling, I actually heard you sneak inside of my room and half the time I am rather inclined to putting a bell around your neck just because you are so quiet. You were not at all yourself last night."  
"Myself?" she mumbled "I wear seventeen different faces, remember?"  
"You Marionette, are a vindictive little psychopath with no regard for human life, If I didn't know the difference between disosiative identity disorder and an actress I would think you had several split personalities, however that is not the case. You are OCD in many, many ways and you are far to careful and set in your ways to be as noisy and careless as you were when you came into my room last night, do not look at me for one second and think I have not figured you out."  
Mari shrugged and responded very simply "You know as much as any one else. Your diagnosis was highly predictable." a soft smile captured her lips "Nothing I haven't heard before." the girl started to glance around "What time is it?"  
"Three-o-clock...maybe three-ten." Crane started after clearing his throat.  
"Shit!" she hissed through her teeth as she jumped out of his bed, nearly tripping as she moved to run past him. Jonathan's calloused hand caught her by the crook of he arm.  
"Calm down." he soothed "I called the number on your medical emergency card and told a certain, Alfred Pennyworth that you came into work early today at my request. You have nothing to worry about."  
Her heartbeat settled and she sighed slowly before relaxing "Thank you."  
Jonathan looked her over "Go wash up, take a shower, eat something. I do expect an explanation for what happened to you. I don't cover just anyone's ass for just any reason."  
"One day." she stated as she walked down the hall until she found his bathroom. "Give me a little bit, I'll be ready to talk more after lunch." The bathroom door creaked open, Marionette peaked back at Crane and said "Hey, uh Jonathan."  
He'd already started to make his way into the living room but stopped upon hearing her voice "Yes, Marionette?"  
Her smile was faint even though he did not look back at her "Thank you."


End file.
